Contents

Summary

From the book jacket

Ael t'Rllaillieu is a noble – and dangerous – Romulancommander. But when the Romulans kidnap Vulcans to genetically harness their mind power, Ael decides on treason. CaptainKirk, her old enemy, joins her in a secret pact to destroy the research laboratory and free the captive Vulcans. When the Romulans discover their plan, the Neutral Zone seethes with schemes and counter-schemes, sabotage and war!

Synopsis

Ael t'Rllallieu is one of the Romulan Star Empire's most decorated military generals, but she has become increasingly disillusioned with her Empire as they throw away honor (mnhei'sahe) for riches. She has spoken out in front of the Senate one time too many and sent out on an "honorable" tour of duty to the Neutral Zone. Ael soon escapes from the broken-down warbird Cuirass and its disloyal crew and returns to her own ship, Bloodwing. She and her crew, including her son Tafv and close confidant Aidoann, cross the Neutral Zone and destroy Cuirass using Klingon-augmented gunnery circuits. She purposely initiates the conflict between Bloodwing and Cuirass close to where Captain Kirk and the Enterprise are patrolling the Zone with the starships USS Constellation, USS Intrepid, and Inaieu. In Federation space, Ael meets Captain Kirk face to face for the first time. She tells him about two secret projects currently under way in her home space: Sunseed, a device to destabilize a star and create ion storms, and a project to harvest Vulcan genetic material to enhance the telepathic abilities of the Romulans. Kirk sympathizes with her, but says he cannot in good conscience order the Enterprise across the Neutral Zone. That changes, however, when the all-Vulcan crew of the Intrepid is captured and taken into Romulan space. Kirk accepts Ael's plan to have Bloodwing "capture" the Enterprise and take her into Romulan space – coincidentally passing right by Levaeri V, the station where the mind research is going on.

Bloodwing and Enterprise succeed in breaking away from the escort sent to meet them, and launch their attack on Levaeri V. However, while nearly half of Enterprise's crew is on Levaeri, Tavf stages an attack of his own – on the Enterprise. With the help of the loyal Romulans still on board Enterprise, including Khiy and Eriufv, the crew manages to repel the invaders. Tafv, though, is mortally wounded. After the Interpid crew is rescued and Levaeri V destroyed, Enterprise, Bloodwing, and Intrepid successfully battle several Romulan ships sent to destroy them, by seeding Levaeri's primary with Sunseed. Ael sees Tafv in Enterprise's sickbay, but McCoy tells her that no matter what, he will die. When Ael asks him why he betrayed her, he responds that it was mnhei'sahe, his loyalty to his cousin who had been exiled for losing the cloaking device to Kirk. Ael releases him from life support, doing what mnhei'sahe requires of her.

Before Ael beams back to Bloodwing, she tells Kirk that she is now exiled from her home. She tells him that they will burn her name, essentially saying that she no longer exists, for "A Rihannsu without her name is nothing". She tells Kirk what all three parts of her name mean, and then giving him the greatest gift of all, she tells him what her fourth name means – "The name by which only one closer than kin may know her". On Earth, Kirk hangs a pennant with Ael's first three names on it in a secluded valley, ensuring that the Commander and her memory will live on.

Memorable Quotes

"... Entirely too many ion-flux measurements, according to Mr. Chekov, who has declared to the bridge at large that his mother didn't raise him to compile weather reports. (Must remember to ask him why since meteorology has to have been invented in Russia like everything else.)

However, even Spock has admitted to me privately that he looks forward to solving this problem and moving on to something a little more challenging. His Captain agrees with him. His Captain is bored stiff. My mother didn't raise me to compile weather reports, either."

"Mr. Naraht, are you quite sure of that figure for the iridium?"
"To six decimal places, sir! Zero point three zero four one four one two two."
"That is eight decimal places, ensign."
"Oh. I'm sorry, sir! I thought you might like some more."

- Spock and Naraht

"Aha! The truth will out! That's it! You only like that boy because you knew his mother the Horta – and she liked your ears!"

- McCoy, about why Spock likes Naraht

"I was thinking of capturing the Enterprise. Would you mind?"

- Ael, proposing her plan to get the Enterprise across the Neutral Zone

"I suppose I'd better get down there and see how Scotty's doing with 'blowing up' his engines..."
"I bet he's doing most of the 'blowing up' himself."
"Amen to that, Mr. Chekov."

- Kirk and Chekov

"What use is a word that means only one thing?"

- Ael

"The translator is having problems. You have little round flying insects on Earth eating a ship named Intrepid? And you ask me about the danger of names?"

"HEUOPIK EEIRWOINVSKY SHTENIX GFAK HU MMHNINAWAH!"
"What the devil was that? Sounds like you've got a problem down there, Lieutenant. A malfunction that shouts."
"No, doctor. It's taken us the last half-hour to get it to do that."

References

The Constellation has the registry number of the previous ship to bear this name, although later canon works contend this replacement Constellation might have had the number NCC-1974, and would have been the prototype for the Constellation-class ships later seen in TNG.

A new variant of chess, designed by Harb Tanzer. The players are able to "rest" their pieces by temporarily taking them out of the game, but once a certain time has expired, the pieces come back into play. The game uses sophisticated transporter technology, which came in handy when Tafv's forces took over the Enterprise.

20th centuryEarth film; while Uhura and an enthusiastic lieutenant are augmenting the Enterprise entertainment library, Kirk catches a glimpse of a scene from the film, when Marlon Brando's character delivers his famous line, "I coulda been somebody. I coulda been a contender!"

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